winklee



7 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Modem F. 0. WINKLER. RUTJMITIBTG WAVE GENERATING SIFTER. No. 400,020.

latentedApr.A 2, 1889.

. Ede/ifm 4 `7 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

F.- G. WINKLER. ROTATING WAVE -GENERATING SIPTER.

'y Patented Apr. -2, 1889* 7 Sheets-Sheet 5.

13.v G. WINKLBR. ROTATING WAVE GENERATING SIFTBR.'

Patented Apr. 2, 1889.v

figs

(No Modem (No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 6.

F. q. 'WmKLERl ROTATING WAVE GENERATING SIFTER..

No. 400,620. PatentedApr. 2, 1889.

'UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

FRIEDRICH GEORG WINKLER, OF ZSOHOPPAU, SAXONY, GERMANY, 'ASSIGNOR TO ROBERT E. LESTER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

'YROTATING WAVE-GENERATING ISIFTER."

SPECIFICATION'forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,620, dated April 2, 1889.

Application iiled-November 22,1888. Serial No. 291,549. (No model.) Patented in Germany July 8, 1886, No. 40,357, andOetober 22, 1886, No. 39,709; in' Sweden August 27, 1887, No. 1,627 in Luxemburg August 30,1887,No. 883 in Norway September 1, 1887; No. 670; in France September 1, 1887, No. 170,762; in Belgium September 1, 1887, No. 78,748 y In England September 1, 1887, No. 11,881; in Finland September 18, 1887, No. 293; in Italy September 80, 1887,11'0. 18,970; in Portugal November 3, 1887, No. 1,185 in Austria-Hungary February 13, 1888, No. 34,417; in Spain April 30, 1888, No. 12,425; in India May l, 1888, No. 10, and in Argentine Republic May 30, 1888, No. 654. Y

T @ZZ whom it may concern: Y

Be it known that I, FRIEDRICH GEORG, VVINKLER, of Zschoppau, Saxony, Germany, have invented certain Improvements in Rof tating Wave-Generating Sifters, of which the following is a specification.

These improvements relate to apparatus for subjecting flour, meal, or other granular materials fed into the interior of a hollow cylinro drical sieve to the action of air-waves composed of radially outward and inward vibrations of small amplitude propagated progressvely around the entire sieve-cylinder, according to the method` described in another pend- 1 5 ing application serially numbered247,765,filed August 24, 188,7. The said apparatus consists, broadly, of a sieve-cylinder, a rotating wavegenerator contained therein, and an annular system of deiiecting-bars interposed between zo theY inner surface of the sieve-cylinder and the path of motion of the Wave-generator. The sieve-cylinder and the annular system of deflecting-bars can, either or both of them, be rotated o r kept stationary. Preferably, the sieve-cylinder is rotated slowly, .and the aunular system of defiecting-bars is rotated at somewhat higher speed, While the wave-generator is rotated with great velocity.

The accompanying drawings, representing 3o a flour-bolting machine containing the invention and some of the many modifications in the forms of the fans which may be employed in rotating wave-generators, are as follows: Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section of a flour-bolting machine, and showing a pulley for rotating the cylindrical sieve. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken through rthe plane indicated by the line .r on Fig: l. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal horizontal section 4o taken through the plane indicated by the line y y on Fig. 2, but showing intermediate 'gearing for rotating the cylindrical sieve. Fig. f1 is an end elevation. Fig. 5v is a transverse vertical section taken through the plane indicated by the line e z on Fig. 3. Figs. (i, 7, 8,

9 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 are transverse sections of various forms, of rot-ating wave-generating fans.

The drawings represent a bolting-chest, A, to the opposite ends of which are aflixed the 5o gear-frames a a. JWithin the bolting-chest is a preferably-rotating drum, the curved surface of which is principally composed ofV a sieve Vor bolting-cloth, B. Within the sievedrum is a rotating cylindrically-arranged sys-' 5 5 tem of deflecting-bars, C.

Within the cylindrically-arranged system of deiiecting bars is a rapidly rotating Wave-generator consisting of fans D D, fastenedat their opposite ends, respectively, to 6o the two heads or disks D D', which are respectively secured to the flanges d d of a hollow shaft, d', keyed to the rapidly-revolving shaft E. The shaft E is joiiinaled at its opposite ends, respectively, in the boxes e e', car- 65 ried in the hollow bosses a a', cast on the ends of the gear frames a a. The heads b b of the sieve are provided, respectively, with the hollow hubs b b2, journaled in the boxes b3 b4, which derive their support from the gear- 7o frames, respectively.

The system of deiiecting-bars C is supported upon the peripheries of two parallel disks, C C2, which are provided, respectively, with the hollow hubs O3 C4. The hollow hubs' 75 C3 C4 extend through the hubs b b2 and are journaled in the boxes O5 C6, carried upon the gear-fraines. The hollow hubs b b2 are of sufticiently large diameter to afford considerable clearance for the hollow hubs C3 C4, 8o which in turn are made of large enough diameter to afford ample clearance for the swiftrunning shaft E. lt is not absolutely essential that the sieve-drum should rotate; but it is desirable in order to secure the uniform wear of the bolting-cloth.

. The shaft E is provided at one end with the fast and loose pulleys E E'2 for engaging the belt which drives .the wave-generator. The pulley C7, affixed to the hollow hub C4, 9o

drives the rotating system of defleoting-bars, and a spur-wheel, C8, afhxed to the hub C3, engages and drives a pinion, C, affixed to a counter-shaft, C10, provided upon its inner end with the spur-wheel C11, which engages the gear C12, affixed to the hub b of the sievedrum, as shown in Figs; l, 2, 3, and 4.

In practice the sieve-drum will be driven at the rate of from, say, twenty to thirty revolutions per minute, the system of deflecting bars at from one hundred to two hundred revolutions per minute, and the wave-gelierator at from five hund red to eight hundred revolutions per minute.

The meal or other material to be sifted is introduced into the feed-chute F, through which it falls into the interior of the hollow hub b', from which it is conveyed, by means of the spiral-screw blade f, affixed to the hub C4, into the space between the head b of the sieve-drum and the disk C2, down which it falls to the interior surface of the boltingcloth. A blade, C13, affixed to and extending spirally around the exterior surface of the system of deflecting-bars, serves to gradually move the meal longitudinally along the inner surface of the bolting-cloth. The flour sifts through the meshes of the bolting-cloth, and is carried by means of a serew-conveyer, G, to the Hour-discharge chute G. The bran, gradually moved along the interior surface of the bolting-cloth, finally escapes through the opening B in the head b into the brandischarge chute H.

As the sifting operation is performed merely by the vibratory motions of the air induced by the wave-generator, the flour is discharged through the flour-chute G and the bran is discharged through the bran-chute H without any accompanying outward currents of air. The total quantity of air in the bolting-chest remains unchanged, and the flour and bran are discharged therefrom simply by their own gravity. The sifting effect will be best promoted by stretching the bolting-cloth tightly, so that it will not participate in the vibratory movements of the air induced by the wave-generator.

The wave-generator illustrated in Fig. 2 generates two waves. The compressed air in front of the advancing fan-surfaces I and J is driven outward, as indicated by the longer arrows, from comparatively small portions of the periphery of the wave-generator, and air to supply the places of the quantities thus ejected is drawn inward, as indicated by the shorter arrows, through comparatively large portions of the periphery of the wave-generator.

As the quantity of air supplied to the area of rarefaction is precisely the same as the quantity of air expelled from the area of condensation, it will be perceived that the pressure of the outward current is necessarily much greater than the pressure of the inward current.

By enlarging the diameter of the wave-generator a larger number of fans may be e1n= ployed, and thus a larger number of waves may be simultaneously generated. Ordinarily, however, it will be sufficient to employ a double wave-generator-'that is, a generator with two fans generating two waves simultaneously, respectively, on opposite sides of the generator.

llVave generators, so far as regards the forms and positions of their fans, are susceptible of almost infinite variation. Examples of afew of the possible modifications are represented in cross-section in Figs. 6 to 17, both inclusive.

Each of the double wave-generators, like the single wave-generator, consists of two parallel disks afiixed to a rotating shaft and united to each other by longitudinal partitions, which in some cases are flat, in others curved, and which in some cases extend from the shaft outward toward the periphery and in other cases are united along one or both of their longitudinal edges. In all these figures the direction of rotation is indicated by a long concentrically curved arrow, the areas of rarefaction are approximately indicated by net-works of shade-lines, and the approximate directions of the induced vibratory air-currents are indicated by the short arrowsV in each figure.

It will be seen that in all the forms of Wavegenerators shown there are established cells or spaces extending longitudinally across the wave-generator, which cells are open only toward the periphery, and hence that in all cases the partial vacua established in parts of the rotating structure bythe centrifugal ejection of portions of the compressed air in front of the advancing fan-surfaces can only be supplied by air which enters at the periphery in the rear of the advancing fan-surfaces. Therefore the wave-gen erators are instrumentalities which propagate in a circular path air-waves composed of outward vibration of comparatively large amplitude and inward vibrations of comparatively small amplitude as distinguished from centrifugal fans such as heretofore known, which operate to produce a blast of air by constantly ejecting from the periphery air which is drawn in at the ends of the rotating structure. It will hence be seen that the essential characteristic of what is herein termed a wave-generator is that the longitudinal spaces or cells with which it is provided, irrespective of their shape in cross-section, shall be open only to- IIO ward the periphery of the rotating structure.

It is to be remarked that as a rule the amplitude of the air-vibrations will increase or decrease accordingly as the speed of rotation of the wave-generator is increased or decreased; and it is also to be observed that in wave-generators in which the fans are composed simply of radial or nearly radial partitions, as illustratedin Figs. 6, 7, and 8, there will be a tendency of the air expelled from the forward side of the fan to turn immediately over` the outer edge of the fan and inward into the space behind the advancing fan. Thisv difficulty, however, can be over-` come by increasing the speed of rotation of edge of the next adjoining partition, as illustrated in Fig. 14. By either of these expedients the area of rarefaction is removed so i far to the rear of the area of'extreme condensation that the current of4 compressed air is ejected against the sieve without loss of pressure. To such an extent is this the case that to produce outward currents of air of given pressure the form of generator illustrated in Fig. 7 willrequire to be rotated at from two and a half to three times the speed of the generator illustrated in Fig. ll.

In practice a Wave-generator twenty-two inches in diameter, having the form illustrated in FigA 2, has beenfonnd to be peculiarly effective whenl used in a scalper and rotated at a speed of from three hundred to seven `hundred revolutions per minute. lt

will be understood that in the scalper the flour, of relatively high specific gravity, is

separated from the bran, which is of -relatively low specific gravity. VW'hen the wavegenerator illustrated inFig. 2 is employed in machines for sifting iiour, it is rotated at a speed of from one thousand to fifteen hundred revolutions per minute.V These examples are here given merely for the purpose of practical illustration.

The principles governing the construction of Wave-generators are those which have been described. The principle to be observed in operating them consists in so regulating their speed of rotation that the outward current ejected through a comparatively small area of the sieve will have just sufficient pressure to force the finer material through the meshes, so that at the same time the quantity of air required to supply the place of that thus ejected will enter the generator through a comparatively large area of the sieve, and hence at such llow pressure on the exterior of this comparatively large area of the sieve that there will be no danger of causing the sifting grate, is're'presented as composed of angle bars or slats.

The invention is not limited to the use of a delecting-grate composed of angle-bars such as shown, but is equally present if the detlectf ing-grate be composed of bars which are parallel or approximately parallel With the axis of the rotating structure, irrespective of the shape of the bars in cross-section. The presence of these bars, as has been explained,

prevents the establishment of circular currents of air immediately within the cylindrical sieve by dei'lecting in radial directions the currents of air ejected by the rotating fans. Instead of employing intermediate gearing, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, for transmitting motion to rotate the sieve from the shaft C4L of the rotating deiiecting-grate, the hollow hub bof the `disk b of the rotating sieve may be provided with the pulley B2, and may thus be driven by the belt independently of the rotating delecting-grate.

It will be seen that by throwing the belt -othe pulley B2 the sieve will remain stationary, and it will also be seen that the deflecting-grate may be rotated or not, according to Whether the belt is applied to the driving-pulley C7. Thus either or both the deiiecting-grate and the sieve may be rotated or not,

as may be desired.

vgenerator Wit-hin said sieve, and a rotating detlectinggrate composed of an annularlyarranged system of deiiecting-bars interposed between the path of motion of the rotating Wave-generator and the interior surface of the said cylindrical sieve, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in a sifting-machine, of a rotating hollow cylindrical sieve, a rotating Wave-generator Within said sieve, and an annularly-arranged system of detlecting-bars interposed between the path of mot-ion of the wave-generator and the interior surface of the said cylindrical sieve, substantially as set forth. l

4. The combination, in a sifting-machine, of a rotating hollowr cylindrical sieve, a rotating wave-generator Within said sieve, and a rotating delecting-grate composed of an annularly-arrangedsystem of deecting-bars interposed between the path'of motion of the wave-generator and the interior surface of the said cylindrical sieve, substantially as set forth.

lOO

5. The combination, with a hollow eylinator longitudinal spaces or pockets open only drieal sieve, of a rotating Wave-generator contoward the periphery of the Wave-generator, sisting, essentially, of two parallel disks afsubstantially as set forth.

Xed to a central shaft and of partitions or FRIEDRICH GEORG WINKLER. 5 fans extending longitudinally across the Wave- W'itnesses:

generator` from one of said disks to the other, ROBERT E. LESTER,

whereby there are established in said gener- A. M. JONES. 

